MR. MAX’S MESSAGE – AUGUST 2011

NEW HOME: GLOUCESTER

Gloucester is still proving to be a very entertaining city. There has been festivals, parades, and block parties every weekend since I’ve been here. On Wednesday 7/20 I was invited onto Local Music Seen, Allen Estes and Peter Van Ness’s TV show that features talent from the Cape Ann area. The taping was a wonderful experience. They tape a show right after mine featuring Julie Dougherty and her husband Woody (playing bass). I’m very lucky to be in company of such talented musicians.

UPCOMING GIGS

I’m part of the Summer Music Concert series at the DCR Martini Shell (1015 Truman Highway, Hyde Park, MA) on Wednesday August 3rd from 6:00 to 8:00pm. It’s the Camaraderie Acoustic Showcase that also includes Jon Macey & Steve Gilligan, Glenn Williams, and Bird Mancini.Mr. Curt put this show together. This is a free outdoor concert.

On that same date (August 3rd) it’s the first airing of my appearance on Local Music Seen hosted by Allen Estes (also produced by him and Peter Van Ness). The show can be seen on channel 12 throughout Cape Ann.

Then on Sunday, August 7th from 5:00-7:00pm I’m the featured artist at Bonnie and Nancy’s Open Mike at the Rockport Unitarian Universalist Church (4 Cleaves Street, Rockport, MA). I’ll be joined by Claire Paulsen, who will read the story of Shake between my playing of the songs for the piece. This is a free outdoor concert.

On Friday, August 26th (4:00-7:00pm) I’m playing at an art opening for Lindsay Brown at the Oyster House (77A Main Street, Newcastle, ME). Also on the bill is FireDean from New York. The opening is free to the public.

And upcoming on Thursday September 8th is the Noise’s final 30th anniversary celebration featuring my favorite solo artists—Allen Estes, Chelsea Berry, Salvatore Baglio, Julie Dougherty, and I’ll be opening the show with the Gloucester debut of Shake with Claire Paulsen! It all happens at the Annie (1 Washington St, Gloucester, MA). Doors are at 7:30 and the admission price is $12 (or two for $20). You can reserve tickets in advance by calling Annie’s Reservation HOTLINE: 978-704-1269.

THE NEW PROJECT—SHAKE

For this project I brought in Claire Paulsen to read a story I wrote about a rice farmer who can communicate with the Earth—it seems Mother Earth is not very happy with the way man is treating her. Claire and I go back and forth between my playing of songs and her reading the tale. I’m excited to get this project rolling. I’m looking for a couple of background vocalist to add some harmonies to the songs. I love those harmonies. An acoustic bass would fit in well, also. My contact is below.

THE UPDATED CD—WHY WAR?

Well—I sold out of the first pressing of Why Do We Go to War and decided to edit the second pressing. So I added a couple of new tunes, change the ending, took some songs out and shortened some of the songs to make it a compact half-hour disc now titled Why War. This half–hour version is how I prefer to play the show live. So now the CD represents the live show well, but adds a lot of production. That added production is me layering more guitars, me singing all the choir parts (male and female—or should I say bass to soprano), and all fun extra stuff you can do with sound while you’re in the studio. Jason Duguay (at Project Sound) produced this CD with me and Mike Loce once again is the lone extra musician playing the jet engine electric guitar in the opening track. Although you can purchase this CD from me through email, tmax(at)thenoise-boston(dot)com, or at a live show ($10), the disc hasn’t been officially release yet. I may wait ’til September to do that.